[IS]: Insert song - "Empty Vengeance (Soul Calibur VI)"
[ISE]: Insert song end

In the dead of night, a lone figure clad in white descended upon the outskirts of the valley. His destination was the mouth of the spring that flowed water all the way to the nearby town of Ymir. Despite its remote location, Ymir sat above a cluster of septium veins, linking it closely to the practice of animism.

And yet, there were no traces of a shrine. Only a simple stone monument with a strange symbol imprinted onto it. Had the requirements to make it reveal itself not been fulfilled yet? Or perhaps it was already unearthed, just hidden in plain sight?

"A monument of stone, standing all alone…" the figure muttered as he approached a stone structure with a symbol imprinted onto it. He then turned around to survey the surrounding area. Truly, this was a place where anyone could behold the beauty of nature, but it wasn't the beauty that he desired.

His eyes followed the river in the direction of Ymir. Chuckling to himself, the man reached forward to touch the stone monument and muttered a few words under his breath. Eventually, the symbol on the monument began to glow faintly. The temperature in the air began to drop significantly.

"I look forward to witnessing firsthand how your beauty shines on the battlefield, Class VII…" The figure smiled underneath his mask. "And I especially wonder how you will burst into bloom, my exotic flower."

When Rean woke up in the middle of the night, his mind still burdened from the assignment his master had given him, he figured that having some alone time in the hot springs would help him clear his mind. He had always appreciated having ready access to a hot spring growing up, but it wasn't until after he left for Thors that he realized just how much he had taken it for granted. Showers were convenient, but soaking your entire body into a pool of hot water was great for meditating and getting your mind off of life's troubles.

What he did not expect at the time was that he would eventually be sharing a bath with one of his classmates, and one of the opposite gender at that.

"How come you're seated so far away, Rean?" Morgan called out. Like Rean, she was covered in nothing but a towel.

Rean had deliberately opted to sit on the side opposite to his female companion, next to a large rock structure by the edge of the spring. "Doesn't this bother you? Like, even a little? It's late at night, and it's just the two of us…"

Technically, there was nothing wrong with what they were doing, since it was currently mixed bathing hours. However, the only kinds of people who would normally use the springs during these hours were families who wanted to bathe together and couples who wanted to get some special alone time. And to Rean's knowledge, he and Morgan fulfilled neither of those criteria.

"You could have walked away," Morgan pointed out. "And I think I'm modestly covered enough. Course, it's not like I have anything to show up front, anyways…"

The young tactician tugged at the top of her towel, which only gave Rean more incentive to look the other way. "Th-That's not the issue here!" he stammered. "Why did you choose this of all places?"

"I already told you!" Morgan reclined further into the spring. "It's a private space, and we were both already on our way in. It'd be better if we both entered at the same time than one after the other. Like, imagine if you came in after me…"

Smirking to herself, Morgan grabbed a small bath bucket. "'Kya! Rean! What the heck are you doing here? You pervert!' And then I'd throw this bucket at you in retribution. Well, none of that here! Less misunderstandings, more lives and buckets saved!"

Rean shuddered despite being in the heated spring. Morgan's imagination could go to some really out there places, but the scenario she painted up was something he could definitely see happening, particularly if he had been unfortunate enough to run into the other girls in their class.

Alisa would most definitely retaliate on sight, given their…history. Laura would probably retaliate even harder. Fie would either subdue him before he could blink or tease him relentlessly for all it was worth. Millium…probably wouldn't care? The girl was touchy-feely with pretty much anyone unfortunate enough to stand in her way, and her old outfit back when Rean first encountered her was basically like a swimsuit already. As for Emma… Actually, the less he thought about someone with her figure in a towel, the better for his lower body. With everything put into perspective, Morgan really did seem like the best option, or at least the one that provided the least amount of pushback in his conscience. That wasn't to say that she didn't arouse any feelings from him; even Rean had to admit that Morgan was pretty cute. But at least he could solidly justify to himself that she was the one who had taken initiative and not feel guilty about it.

"We're both here and basically naked. That means we have nothing to hide, right?" Morgan was suddenly right next to him, which gave Rean a small fright. "So spill it! What's on your mind? I want to hear all the juicy details."

Rean gulped. He was really going to go through with this, wasn't he? "Where do I even start…"

"From the beginning," Morgan said matter-of-factly. "And when you've reached the end, you stop."

"Easier said than done…" Regardless of their situation, Rean still appreciated Morgan's attempt to get him to lighten up. So he swallowed his pride, took a deep breath, and began to recount what happened in the afternoon. "While I was visiting my family earlier, I sort of got some homework from Master Ka-Fai."

"Your master? You mean the one for your sword school?"

"He's the one. I was the last disciple he ever took, so he always made sure to ask about my well being even after my training was cut short. Here's the thing…"

Rean went on to describe the lesson in greater detail. It was the first of teachings that was imparted to him from Master Ka-Fai, yet it was also the one he had yet to fully grasp the true meaning of. "Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form." That was the mantra behind "Void," the seventh Form of the Eight Leaves, One Blade School. Master Ka-Fai had included that in his letter to Rean, instructing him to reflect on those words and take their meaning to heart.

"Still, I'm nowhere near close to understanding what they even mean," Rean sighed. "The fact that he included that in his letter must mean that he realizes how lost I am."

"I'm…not sure I understand," Morgan said, frowning. "You've done a lot for Thors; a lot of people hold you in high regard. How can you say that you're still lost?"

But Rean shook his head. "It's not about what I have done or have yet to do; it's about who I have yet to become. I can train my body, do good deeds for others…but that's all window dressing. If you strip away everything I've accomplished since the beginning of the year, the only thing left remaining…" He traced his hand along the scar on his chest. "...Is the monster within."

"Rean…"

Morgan pursed her lips, appearing uncomfortable as a result of Rean's words. "I think I'm starting to see why Elise was so frustrated earlier…" she muttered.

"What…do you mean?"

"It's your mindset, Rean. You're the kind of person who sees the glass half-empty, and once you do, you become so focused on that that you block out every other option. It's so easy for you to go down a downward spiral that you fail to see things objectively." She put a hand on her chest. "Take it from an auslander: you've been in a better mood lately than you were at the start of the year. So what's stopping you from seeing it yourself?"

Rean looked down once again at the scar on his chest. "Probably because of what happened in the past…"

"You mean…when your power first appeared?"

He nodded. "It was eight years ago. I was nine, so that would've made Elise seven. The two of us went to play up in the stream on along the valley, but while we were out, snow started falling all of a sudden. We panicked and tried to hurry back to the village...but on the way, we ran into this huge creature. I'd never seen anything like it before or since. It had wolf and bear-like features, but it was bipedal and had red glowing eyes…"

Morgan audibly gasped when she listened to Rean describe the monster in full, but otherwise remained silent.

"We were kids, so we didn't stand a chance of trying to seriously fight it. All I could do was try desperately to keep it from harming her, even if it meant getting hurt in the process. I was starting to lose consciousness, and all I could hear was the sound of the monster's footsteps drawing gradually closer. I knew in my mind that for every step it took, Elise was in more and more danger...and that's when it happened."

Rean put his hand over his scar. "The scar on my chest started to ache like it was set on fire, and my vision was dyed completely red. When I finally returned to my senses, I was standing in the middle of a sea of blood, the small hatchet I'd brought to cut through tree branches in my hand, left with the realization that a kid like me had just hacked a giant monster apart with such an insignificant weapon.

"That was right when I started to fear the power that I'd discovered sleeping within me. I couldn't help but always be scared of losing control again. Who would be next? Elise? Someone else I cared about? How badly would I hurt them...or would it be worse? At that point, I wanted nothing more than to distance myself from them, which is what led me to Master Ka-Fai. After that… Well, the rest is history."

Rean let his body sink deeper into the spring as he stared up at the night sky, feeling a bit winded from having to recount his past. "It's weird. I thought that maybe with the ILF gone, I was one step closer to finding my own path to walk in life. But with this…I can't help but feel weighed down by my own shortcomings. The same shortcomings that are stopping me from discerning the truth behind Master Ka-fai's words." He let out a heavy sigh. "So much for two days of rest and relaxation. Sometimes I feel like-"

"Like you're cursed, right?"

Rean blinked twice at Morgan. "How did you…?"

The only response the tactician gave him was a silent look of understanding. It was then that Rean remembered Morgan's inability to cook; the odd things that transpired whenever she entered the kitchen truly felt like an outside force was harassing her, no matter how hard she tried to escape it. Or maybe she was referring to something more…? Rean was hesitant to press further, feeling guilty enough that all he was doing was selfishly worrying about himself.

"Rean…" Morgan said with a steely gaze. "I want to show you something."

Rean stared puzzledly as the young tactician stood up from the water and turned her back towards him. It was when her arms began to move their way to her chest that Rean realized, much to his horror, she was in the process of undoing her towel.

"Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you doing?!" Rean stammered, hastily turning around and covering his eyes.

A giggle came from Morgan. "You should see the look on your face. Relax. I'm not going to strip all the way."

That didn't give Rean any comfort in the slightest. He continued looking the other way, even as he heard the sound of Morgan's towel gently lowering itself onto the water's surface.

"Okay. You can look now."

'Where would I even begin to look?' Rean silently wondered. There were times where he and Elise bathed together, but that was when they were young children. This was the first time he would bear witness to a girl's bare back as a teenager, and he was already feeling the nerves as he slowly turned his head around and creaked one eye open. Eventually, he would open both of his eyes fully, looking past the steam to fully take in the sight that was before him, and what he saw almost left him so breathless, his worries became an afterthought.

Morgan had technically not been lying when she said she wasn't going to strip all the way, having lowered her towel only to where it was covering her from the waist down while leaving her upper body exposed. Rean could tell that her body was naturally lithe, perfect for the fleet-footed combat style she had come to favor over the past few months. Naught a hint of excess body mass was to be seen anywhere on her body, making her feel smaller and less threatening than she actually was. That alone would have made Morgan aesthetically pleasing for any male gaze, but there was something else about her that felt…unique. Was it her body shape? Or the way she expanded and contracted when she breathed? Rean couldn't quite put it into words, but he just had an innate feeling that Morgan was different from other Erebonians. Heck, he would go as far as to say that she felt different even when compared to foreigners. She looked almost…otherworldly.

"Do you see it?" Morgan sheepishly asked.

Rean snapped back to reality. He had been alone with his thoughts for longer than he had anticipated. "See…what?"

"The small of my back."

Rean had been hesitant on scooting closer, but the steam was making things cloudier than it usually was, so with Morgan's permission he did so. There, on the small of her back, he saw it: a strange-looking mark shaped like a tear falling into a curved, pointed U.

"What...is that?" he asked, trying his best to contain the urge to reach out and touch it. "A tattoo? No...a birthmark?"

"The latter. Or something like that."

Morgan raised her towel back to its original position and covered herself before sitting back down. She then turned around, revealing a slight blush on her cheeks. "You should feel honored, you know," she said. "I don't let just anyone see the Mark up close."

"Is your mark special?" Rean asked.

"Mark, with a capital 'M'," she corrected him, which Rean thought was a redundant detail to focus on. "It used to mean something important where I come from, but that doesn't matter now. These days, it's just a glorified birthmark, and heck, it doesn't even do that right. I didn't have it when I was a kid."

That confused Rean. A birthmark that didn't show up at birth?

"But like I said, that doesn't matter right now," Morgan repeated. "These days, it's a reminder of who I am. Something that I can't run away from, no matter how hard I try to forget about it. Birthmarks, curses…there are some things in this world that we can't explain why they happen to us, but they do anyway. Looking away from those things doesn't suddenly make them disappear."

"Then what should I do? Nothing? Just accept that I'm just a loose cannon ready to fire at any given notice?"

"Well, I'm not saying you should do nothing. Like, take me for example. After I woke up in that flower field, I started to make a name for myself, first as Her Highness's attendant and then later as the Vermillion Deliverer. If you take those away, though, what do you get? You get a girl who's far away from home. An…alien." Morgan visibly grimaced when she said that word, but she quickly shook it off. "Now let me ask you this, Rean: does being an alien make me any less deserving of a place in Class VII?

"Of course not!" Rean answered immediately. "You're more than just an alien. I trust you wholeheartedly, and everyone else feels the same way!"

Morgan nodded, smiling a little. "What a coincidence. Cause that's how I feel about you. And I'm sure everyone else has told you before that they feel the same way, right?"

Rean blinked, surprised by Morgan's response.

"I won't pretend to know the answer to your homework," Morgan continued, "but I just wanted to remind you that you're among friends now, Rean. You're more than just a mindless beast, and there are people out there who are willing to stand with you despite your shortcomings. The bonds we forged over the past year weren't for nothing. And maybe…" She tapped a finger to her chin. "Well, this is just a theory of mine, but instead of reminding you of how far you have yet to go, your master wanted you to see that you're actually getting closer to your answer?"

Rean hummed to himself. That was an angle that he hadn't considered in the midst of his self-loathing. It wasn't a complete answer, but it was at least a start, and for now, any progress that could be made was welcome. "Thanks, Morgan," he said, smiling back at his friend. "I'll keep what you said in mind."

"Don't mention it." Morgan winked at him. "Really, I should be thanking you. For giving me a chance to face my fears."

The two of them continued smiling at each other until a small white speck fell into their line of sight and dropped into the hot springs. Before they could determine what it was, however, the white speck immediately began melting and evaporating into steam.

Morgan then gasped as she pointed up at the sky. "Look! From above!"

Rean followed her hand and saw countless more white spheres gracefully falling from the sky like petals.

"Fresh snow…" Morgan marveled. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah…" Rean was likewise stunned at the sudden snowfall, but then he remembered something that immediately made him frown. "Wait, it's only the start of October! It's too early in the year for it to start snowing!"

"Is it just me, or is the snow really starting to come down?" Morgan locked eyes with Rean. "We probably shouldn't stay out here."

"Agreed."

The two of them wordlessly stepped out of the hot spring and into their respective changing rooms. The temperature in the air had gotten a lot colder than when they first entered, and Rean surmised that it wasn't just because they came out of a hot bath. When they reconvened outside, he and Morgan decided to retire for the evening, with the agreement that none of them would reveal to their classmates that they had bathed together in the hot springs.

As he quietly entered his room, Rean couldn't stop thinking about sudden change in weather. The last time there was snow on this scale that appeared so abruptly…

The loud roar of the large monster he and Elise encountered reverberated through his ears.

Whatever was going on, it couldn't have been good.

Come the following morning, and the entire class woke up to find that the entire town was blanketed in layers of snow. Unfortunately for Class VII, the unprecedented snowfall had also reached the slope that the cable car used to ferry passengers to and from the town, meaning that for the time being, they were going to be stuck in Ymir.

"Rean…" Elise looked at him expectantly. One look and Rean knew that she was thinking the same thing as he was.

"I know." Rean nodded his head. "It's just like last time."

"Is something the matter?" Laura asked, having noticed the two of them standing by themselves. "You two both seem rather serious."

Rean hesitated for a moment, but then he remembered how he divulged his past to Morgan the night before. Since he had already told one person, he supposed it wouldn't be fair to keep it a secret from everyone else. "Well, it's just that something like this happened around eight years ago, too…"

"It was this bad?" Alisa gasped.

Rean's father, who had just returned from surveying the area, nodded his head. "That it was. The snow lasted for roughly three days, then it simply stopped. We never could figure out why."

"It sounds like this might be something more than some freak occurrence, then," Angelica remarked.

"I'll be sure to inform you once the cable car is up and running again. Oh, and before I go…" Baron Schwarzer procured a familiar-looking envelope to give to Rean. "I was given this by an employee at the Phoenix Wings. It's addressed to you and your classmates."

"This looks like those envelopes our field study tasks were written in!" Elliot realized.

"There's no sender, though…" Morgan noted.

"Why would someone send us something like this?" Rean wondered aloud.

He and his fellow classmates all started looking at Sara, who shook her head and hands frantically. "It wasn't me this time! I swear!"

Figuring that there wasn't any better way to get to the bottom of this, Rean opened the envelope and emptied the contents into his free hand. A small handwritten letter fell out, which Rean promptly began to read aloud.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Class VII: I write in the hopes of entrusting you with an additional field study task. Journey along the Ymir Valley, and may you bring an end to this extraordinary snowfall. Whether you bring your entire class or a small group of elites, know that both Rean Schwarzer and Morgan Daraen must be present."

"Does anyone else feel weirded out seeing that it's specifically calling out Rean and Morgan?" Alisa asked. "And what's 'bring an end' supposed to mean?"

"As hard as it is to believe, it looks like this snow isn't even a product of nature," Rean responded. "Someone's actually causing it to fall."

The rest of his classmates began to murmur disquietly amongst themselves. Gaius and Jusis tried to rationalize how someone could cause the snow to fall. Fie asked to look over the letter one more time, noting how familiar the handwriting looked. Morgan and Emma began flashing different expressions at each other, almost like they were having a conversation with just their faces.

"So what are you all going to do?" Instructor Sara asked, garnering everyone's attention.

Rean didn't even hesitate. "We should go. It feels like whoever's causing this snowfall is doing it to call us to them...and if they're requesting me by name, I don't think I can back away from this one."

"I'm with Rean, same reasoning," Morgan seconded. "Also, there's no telling if this enemy has the patience to wait three days for the blizzard to end. We should tackle the problem now, while we still have solid ground to walk on."

Angelica snickered to the side as more of the class began to follow Rean and Morgan's lead. "Looks like the two pillars of Class VII have spoken."

Towa nodded in agreement. "Watching them from close up always reminds me of the field studies we did last year...but it feels like Rean and Morgan have built an even better team than ours, huh?"

"I-It's too dangerous!"

Elise's voice cut through the conversation like a blade. Everyone looked at her, surprised that she had the vocal capacity to rise above them all.

But none were as surprised as Rean himself. "Elise?"

"You c-can't go!" his sister continued. "You don't even know what you're going to be up against! You'd be putting yourselves in danger!"

Their father put a hand on Elise's shoulder. "Remember, Elise: they're military academy students. Their whole education is about teaching them to handle dangerous situations just like this one. If they say they want to go, then we should let them."

"B-But, Father!"

Rean made his way past his classmates to where Elise and Baron Schwarzer were. "We'll be fine, Elise," he consoled her.

"But…"

"I know you're nervous because of what happened last time—but unlike then, I'm not alone." He glanced at his classmates. "This isn't going to end the same way. Just trust me, okay?"

Elise stayed silent for several seconds, but eventually she relented with a small nod. "All right. If I must." She then looked up at him with a determined expression. "But you need to promise me that you'll return safely! If you take too long coming back, I will be coming to rescue you!"

Her determination caused Rean to let out a small chuckle. "I won't be long. Promise."

"Leave Rean to us, Elise," Morgan said. "We'll take care of him. All of us are coming safe and sound."

"Okay. Good luck, everyone!"

Rean and Morgan looked at each other and nodded, a silent understanding being reached between them. "Wanna give us our assignments, Morgan?"

"Gladly." Morgan cleared her throat and spoke in a loud, confident voice. "The letter said we could bring a smaller group, but realistically, we'll stand a better chance if we have as many people on board. Sara, Towa, and Angelica can stay behind to defend the town. If there's anyone else who wants to stay behind with them, speak now or forever hold your peace."

No murmurs of discontent arose from the other students.

"Perfect. Everyone? Get ready for battle. We march in ten minutes. Let's go!"

Once everyone got their equipment in order, Rean led his classmates through Ymir Valley, where the blizzard appeared to be originating from. They had been trekking for quite some time, but Rean could tell that they had reached the midpoint of their journey.

"Halfway up now, and still no sign of whoever sent that letter," Rean muttered to himself. Truth be told, he had a guess as to who sent the envelope containing the impromptu field study task. The deliberately vague tone embellished with that familiar handwriting… He had seen it enough times back in Heimdallr to recognize the traces.

"Urgh…"

Rean looked to his right. Morgan, who had been walking next to him, had suddenly started to pinch at her forehead. "Hey, Morgan? Are you feeling okay?" he asked her.

"I'm fine," she replied. "Just a little headache is all."

He slowed his pace a little to match hers and whispered, "You didn't get a cold from last night, did you?"

The young tactician shook her head. "No. It only started as soon as we entered the valley. Actually, I've felt something similar once before, back in Ordis. It's almost like-"

"So what DID you two do last night?"

The two of them nearly jumped out of their shoes. Fie was suddenly right behind them, having eavesdropped on their conversation.

"I heard Morgan going in and out of the room last night, and I also heard someone doing the same thing from the boys' end. Now I know who the other one is." She smirked teasingly at Rean in particular. "You couldn't settle with just one midnight rendezvous, Rean?"

"Fie, shush!"

Unfortunately, Rean's attempts to get Fie to quiet down were in vain, as the rest of the class began to huddle around the three of them.

"You lucky son of a-I mean, for shame, Rean!" Machias chastised Rean.

"Morgan, just how many boys have you developed an interest in?" Laura aggressively interrogated Morgan.

Rean did find it odd that Morgan was receiving as much heat as he was, considering how he was usually the sole victim-er, subject of attention when it came to situations like these. Morgan tried to come up with an answer, but with her current headache and complete ineptitude to cover up the truth, she was in no condition to say anything. That meant it was up to Rean to cover for the both of them.

"We both had trouble sleeping and ended up running into each other last night," said Rean. "So, we decided to take a walk around the Phoenix Wings, and along the way, I confided to her about my past and my homework from Master Ka-Fai. That's all we did. Honest."

"Your master must be pretty strict to give you homework when you're out on vacation," Machias remarked.

"Such an occurrence is more commonplace than you might think, Machias," Laura responded. "A swordsman must never neglect their daily training."

Somehow, Rean had managed to divert their attention away by bringing up his training. He glanced at Morgan, who silently mouthed the words "Thank you" to him.

"You mentioned your past just now…" Alisa said, the stink eye she had been giving Rean earlier having all but vanished. "You said this kind of thing happened once before. Umm… I mean, I'm not going to force you to talk about it if you don't want to, but…"

"No, it's okay," Rean reassured Alisa. "I was planning to tell you all eventually, and now is as good a chance as any."

As they continued trekking up the mountain path, Rean told them the same story that he had told Morgan the night before. He half-expected his classmates to elicit expressions of disgust and fear when he described how he single-handedly butchered the monster to protect Elise. But when he finished his story, no such reactions came. And then there came the responses…

"I thought you knew us better than that, Rean," Jusis half-scoffed. "We've been with you for far too long to second-guess staying that way over something so trivial."

"If anything, I'm happy you trust us enough to tell us that story," Elliot said with a smile.

Machias and Fie also seconded Elliot's feelings.

"As am I."

"Yup. Same here."

Gaius maintained a serene, understanding expression. "Whatever happens, you'll have us at your side. You have nothing to fear."

Laura nodded her head in approval. "Not a single one among us would hesitate to lend you their strength."

Alisa beamed at him with a bright smile. "You don't have to deal with all your worries alone anymore, Rean. You've got us, right?"

"Everyone…"

He then felt an elbow lightly poke at his chest. Rean turned to see Morgan with a small smirk on her face. "Hey. That's not what you're supposed to say."

"R-Right…" Rean turned back around to his classmates. "Thanks, everyone. Really. Now come on. We're almost at the upper part of the stream."

With that, the class continued on their way through the snow-covered valley.

"Haha!" Morgan laughed cheerily at Rean. "Told you so."

"Yeah…" Rean was still trying to process all the support he had just received. "It just…feels kinda surreal to actually see it for myself, you know?"

"This won't be the last time either, fearless leader. You'd better get used to it."

Several minutes later, the group finally entered the upper part of the valley, where a spring would flow water to the rest of the area. However, due to the sudden blizzard, the spring was now completely frozen over. Not far from the spring, the students noticed a strange glowing stone monument with an unusual mark etched into it.

"For some reason, it reminds me of the orb we encountered at Lohengrin Castle," Laura said.

Morgan clenched her fists and frowned, vividly remembering her experience while locked inside the castle. "…Which means that it's probably connected to whatever's been going on with the weather."

Rean turned to Morgan and asked, "How are you feeling, Morgan?"

"Better. My headache's starting to subside."

"I know I'm the last person to be saying this, but don't push yourself, okay?"

Before Morgan could respond, the symbol on the monument began to glow even brighter, momentarily blinding the students' vision.

"What's happening?!" Rean called out.

"It's so bright!" Alisa shouted.

"Be careful!" Emma warned everyone. "I can sense intense power!"

The light eventually subsided, followed by a loud thud that violently shook the ground underneath them. The snow cleared to reveal a hulking monstrosity with a menacing red-eyed gaze and large claws on its hands and feet.

The sight of the monster made Rean's blood run cold. "No way…!"

"What is it, Rean?" Laura asked him.

"It's the same monster from all those years ago!" he said, rubbing his eyes to make sure that his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. "But…that's impossible! I thought for sure I killed it!"

Rean's eyes wandered to the stone monument, which still had remnants of that same eerie glow. "Could it be…? Was that thing sealed inside the monument the whole time?"

"Whether it's the same one or different, it doesn't matter! We still have to take it down!" Machias loaded his shotgun, ready to fire.

But before Machias could line up a shot, Emma's voice called out from the back. "Morgan, wait!"

Screaming in an uncharacteristic manner, Morgan broke off from the group and charged headfirst at the monster, her axe drawn and her body completely enveloped in a sickeningly red aura.

"YOU!" Using her Galeforce skill, Morgan dashed forward and kicked off the ground, slashing the monster in the face. "YOU'RE THE ONE! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO HURT MY MOTHER!"

"Morgan! Calm down!" Rean yelled. "What's gotten into you?!"

The monster roared out loud and retaliated against Morgan while she was still airborne, sending her hurtling into the ground.

"Morgan!" everyone shouted.

The large beast then turned its attention to the rest of Class VII. It howled out loud before stomping the ground, causing it to freeze. Rean, having sensed danger from the moment the monster reared its leg, dodged to the side. The rest of his friends, however, weren't so lucky.

"Everyone!" Rean called out, but it was too late. The frozen ground reached his classmates, and at once, all of them became encased in ice up to their shoulders.

"Ugh… I can't move!" Machias growled.

"How was it able to freeze this many of us at once?!" Emma exclaimed.

"It's going to attack again!" Jusis observed.

Rean prepared himself for another attack. He couldn't get anywhere near the monster without getting frozen, but he also couldn't let the monster attack his frozen classmates. What could he do?

Just then, an entity wreathed in flames stood up from the ground and attacked the monster from behind, causing it to howl in pain. Morgan had reentered the fray, having activated her Ignis skill.

"She wouldn't wake up…because of YOU!" Morgan cried as she continued hacking at the monster, repeatedly using her skills to weave in and out of the monster's attacks. "Father stopped spending time with me because of YOU! He left me all alone because of YOU! I HATE YOU!"

Never had Rean seen Morgan act so violently before. Even during her confrontation with the Imperial Liberation Front, Morgan had mostly kept her composure, only making her anger known through subtle means. But this was something completely different. She was fighting completely without restraint and without any care for herself or her allies. It reminded Rean greatly of…

'It's just like that power of mine.'

Rean took a deep breath before letting out a loud shout, envisioning it like a blade that could cut through one's mental processes rather than their physical form. His shout reached Morgan, who, upon hearing his voice, stopped mid-swing.

"Morgan! Listen to me!" Rean called out to Morgan. "I know how you feel. How much the past hurts, especially when it comes back to bite you after trying to forget about it."

"Remember: form is emptiness, and emptiness is form. I want you to take the meaning of those words to heart."

"...I can't begin to know what things you experienced to make you feel this much hate, but remember that we're here for you! We can support you just as you've supported us!"

"You don't have to deal with all your worries alone anymore, Rean. You've got us, right?"

"But that doesn't mean you have to get rid of or forget your hate! No, they're part of what makes us human! It's like you said: looking away from them doesn't suddenly make them disappear. All it does is stop you from being able to move forward!"

"You're more than just a mindless beast, and there are people out there who are willing to stand with you despite your shortcomings. The bonds we forged over the past year weren't for nothing."

"That's why…" Rean closed his eyes, concentrating his energy and gathering up strength. In the midst of his focus, he could clearly hear his pounding heartbeat. "I'm going to lead by example…by accepting myself for who I truly am!" [IS]

One heartbeat later, and Rean released all his pent up energy with one massive shout. As he cried out, he could hear the sound of ice cracking from behind him.

"I-I can move again!" Machias cried out happily.

"What immense strength…" Laura commented, audibly marveling at the sight before her.

"This is Rean's true power…" Gaius remarked.

Morgan slowly turned her head around. Her red aura had dissipated, and all traces of wrath had vanquished from her face. "Rean…" she uttered, her voice shaky. "I-I…"

"ROOOAAAR!"

The monster took advantage of the lapse in Morgan's offense and reared its claw up to strike.

"Morgan, look out!" Emma shouted.

But in the time it took for Emma to say those words, Rean was already in motion. Using the Eight Leaves, One Blade technique "Gale," he sprinted forwards and scooped up Morgan in his arms, carrying her princess style out of harm's way to the cheers of his classmates.

"You okay?" he asked her.

"Rean…" Morgan looked visibly shaken. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me…"

"We can talk about that later. Right now, we've got an enemy to rout, and we need your tactical guidance. Can you give us our orders?"

The black-haired girl took a brief moment to compose herself before nodding her head. "Alright. Let's pair up."

Taking out their ARCUS units, Rean and Morgan created a link between them. However, compared to the previous times, this time was different. Rean couldn't explain it, but he could feel more than just Morgan's thoughts; it was as if all of her tactical knowledge was now at his disposal.

"I can…" "...Feel it!"

The two of them accepted this connection as the new status quo, and their link level evolved into something more.

"Time to even the odds!" Morgan stretched out her hand to give a motivating shout. "Rally Spectrum!"

Everyone who heard her call to action immediately began to feel energized. The chill of the blizzard was now little more than an afterthought.

"I can feel power surging from within me!" Gaius said.

Fie brandished her gunswords, ready to strike back. "Payback time."

With their newfound boost in strength and their ARCUS units all glowing brightly, the students all attacked the monster simultaneously. Bullets and orbal arts flew through the air, and a host of weapons pierced the monster's thick hide from all directions.

"Haaaah!" Laura used her ultimate attack to stagger the monster. "Your turn, Rean!"

Supported by the warmth provided from Morgan's link, Rean began to concentrate energy onto his blade. In doing so, he was reminded of another one of Master Ka-Fai's teachings…

"The Third Form, Karmic Flame, derives its power from the breath instead of one's own body.

It is easier to call upon in the heat of battle, but it is also just as easy to succumb to its overwhelming force. Without clearing your mind and tempering your blade, you risk letting it control you instead of the other way around."

Rean recalled how Morgan described her use of Ignis, calling upon her latent energy and directing it outwards to her weapon for a single attack. He couldn't help but notice the similarities behind their two techniques and decided to try it for himself. Taking a deep breath, he synchronized with his body's temperature to build energy in his body. Then, he exhaled, funneling the energy past his limbs until flames began to wrap around his blade, burning more brightly than ever before.

"Burn to ash!" he shouted. "Flame Impact!"

He brought down his flaming tachi onto the monster's body, setting it ablaze and completely melting the area around him.

"Morgan! Finish it!"

Morgan raised her weapon with both her hands. "Everyone, watch over me…"

The blade of Morgan's axe began to glow yellow, similar to when she had been sparring against Gaveli of the Arseid School in Legram. She charged towards the monster and performed a rising slash before she leapt backwards and enveloped her weapon with a holy blue aura.

"Stay where you belong…in my dreams."

Morgan dashed forward and cleaved her axe in a diagonally downwards motion, completely bisecting the monster before it dissolved into mist and septium fragments. The stone monument that summoned the creature stopped glowing, and the fierce winds carrying the snowfall finally began to subside. [ISE]

"You did it, Morgan!" Rean said, nearly stumbling over from exhaustion.

Morgan looked up, also panting heavily. "Looks like that's…another thing to…thank you for…"

Those were the last words she uttered before she closed her eyes, dropped her weapon, and passed out.

With the root problem behind the blizzard resolved, the villagers of Ymir immediately went to work on shoveling all the excess snow from the town and getting the cable car up and running. Though the population was small in number, they all worked together very efficiently and to get everything back into suitable living conditions again.

Class VII had initially planned on leaving Ymir in the afternoon, but between Morgan fainting and everyone else sans her and Rean succumbing to a case of the chills (being encased in ice in the middle of a blizzard wasn't exactly great for one's health), there was enough grounds for them to be granted a day's extension to their vacation. Instructor Sara and President Towa called the school to notify them of the change in plans, and much to everyone's relief, they were cleared to stay. The town was more than willing to accommodate them as thanks for helping to stop the snowfall, with some residents even offering to perform basic services for free.

"We'll block off the path to the stone monument you encountered until we get some outside help to dismantle it," Baron Schwarzer said. "Rest assured, son, that no one will be able to activate it again."

"That's good to hear, Dad." Rean breathed a sigh of relief.

"What about the culprit?" Lady Schwarzer asked. "Did you end up finding them?"

Rean nodded his head. "We did. It was Phantom Thief B."

Elise gasped. "You couldn't be talking about…THAT Phantom Thief, could you?"

"To think that someone so dangerous would show up unannounced in our territory…" Rean's father growled.

"Well, he IS a phantom thief," Rean reminded everyone. "Appearing out of nowhere is kind of his MO."

Shortly after Morgan passed out, the phantom thief had made his presence known to the students, revealing that he was the one who touched the stone monument and caused the ensuing blizzard. Additionally, he revealed himself to be an Enforcer of Ouroboros, the same people who supplied the ILF with archaisms. That naturally made everyone on edge, but they were too exhausted from the previous fight to try and apprehend the criminal. The culprit had insisted, however, that his business in Ymir was separate from Ouroboros' goals; all he wanted was to see the capabilities of the subjects handpicked by Prince Olivert, his supposed "rival in beauty" or whatever. In the end, Phantom Thief B left as quickly as he came, but not before promising that this wouldn't be the last Class VII would see of him or Ouroboros.

What Rean didn't mention to his family was the rest of the conversation that he and the phantom thief shared. B had taken a particular interest in him for his mysterious past, but Rean immediately shut him down, reasoning that even if he could put together the missing puzzle pieces of his past, that wouldn't be representative of the Rean Schwarzer that was a part of Class VII. The phantom thief took Rean's answer in stride, saying that it was a statement befitting a subject chosen by Olivert and that he would look forward to seeing more from him in the future.

But then there was what he said in regards to Morgan…

…

"Ah, she truly has come into her own as an exotic flower, blooming in a land so far away from home. Truly, she is everything I could have hoped for and more!"

"I don't know what it is you're thinking of, but you'd better back off!" Rean held his arm protectively in front of Morgan's unconscious body. "Morgan's one of us, and you're going to have to get through all of us if you want her!"

The rest of Class VII likewise shared his sentiment, raising their weapons at the phantom thief despite their exhaustion from the previous battle.

"Indeed, it appears that she has rooted herself firmly into this land," Phantom Thief B responded snidely. "The question now is how this will affect her growth."

"What do you mean?" Rean asked.

"Human brains are remarkable things. Capable of holding and storing many memories over the course of a lifetime. But like all containers, there comes a time where it reaches maximum capacity, at which point some memories are unconsciously cast aside like chaff. How many of you remember what it was like being in the womb? Taking your first steps? Or even the specific meal you had on the eve of your acceptance into Thors?"

The eccentric thief let out another unsettling laugh. Though he wore a mask, the class could tell he was staring at Morgan's scarred face. "She searches for a way to reclaim her lost past, yet she has also severed one connection on this very day. How many more will she cut down on her quest to regain her identity? Haha! It is a tragedy waiting to occur!"

From out of nowhere, a gust of wind blew around the thief, and Class VII's vision was obstructed by a storm of white petals.

"Is she one of you? Or will she only become one in name only? I look forward to finding out what truths you all discover when the fateful moment comes."

The Ouroboros Enforcer leapt high into the air with the rose petals following him. Just as quickly as he arrived, he was gone.

…

Rean shook his head. He was more than a little unsettled knowing that he and Morgan essentially had put themselves onto the Ouroboros' radar. The last thing he wanted was for a shadowy organization to pry into his private life and possibly use his loved ones to blackmail him into doing what they wanted.

"Are you okay, Rean?" Elise asked worriedly.

Rean gave his adoptive sister a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Elise. He genuinely didn't seem too intent on causing any more trouble than was necessary to lure us out. But it's clear the society as a whole has a completely different goal of their own—one they're even willing to aid terrorists in order to achieve. And whether he was trouble today or not, he's shown full well that he's not a foe we can afford to underestimate. We're really going to have to get a lot stronger if we want to stand a chance against them next time we meet."

Finally, Rean's father stepped forward to ask the million Mira question. "Were you able to solve Master Ka-Fai's homework, Rean?"

Rean had been waiting for this moment ever since he returned to the Schwarzer family mansion to give his report. "I can't be sure without asking him," he admitted, "but I have realized something about myself. All this time, I've been lying to myself."

His choice of words surprised his family.

"I've been trying so hard to convince myself that I'm someone I'm not, all because I was too afraid to face up to the truth. Until now, I've felt so ashamed. But what happened today has taught me that I can't look away from what's inside me any longer. So I don't want to—I want to find out what this power within me is, and I want to find just who left me in that snowstorm all those years ago. For now, that's my truth."

Both of Rean's parents looked accepting of Rean's answer. Elise, however, appeared more conflicted. "But then…"

Rean put a hand on Elise's shoulder, which elicited a small gasp from her. "You don't have to look so sad, Elise. I'm not planning to disappear from your life or anything. Whatever those answers turn out to be, I'll be here. The reason I want to know is so that I can truly be myself. There's a Rean Schwarzer that I should have been all this time—the one that's your brother, the one that's Mom and Dad's son, and the one that's a member of Class VII—and I intend to find him."

"...No matter how harsh the truth may turn out to be?" Rean's father asked.

Rean nodded. "'Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.' It is only by accepting one's uncertainties does the door open to infinite possibilities. Even if I'm not up to accepting it now, I intend to make myself that way by the time I do find out. With my classmates at my side, I'm sure I can."

Baron Schwarzer smiled proudly at him. "A fine answer, Rean. I believe with this, you've earned a passing grade."

"D-Dad?"

His father came forward with a new sword and a scroll. "Master Ka-fai asked me to give you this in the event that you displayed you had the potential to advance in your swordsmanship. I'd say you've done just that."

Truthfully, Rean should have known that something was up when his father asked him to come to the Schwarzer family mansion to deliver his report, but this was beyond his expectations. Never had he imagined that he'd ever reach the intermediate stage after his master cut his training short years ago. "I…I don't know what to say."

Baron Schwarzer couldn't resist a hearty chuckle from looking at his adoptive son's dumbfounded expression. "Haha! He knew deep down that you had more potential than you had shown him during your training. Accept it, Rean. It's all yours now."

Rean took the scroll and sword in his hands. "Then…I will humbly accept."

"Congratulations, Rean."

"Yes! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Mom, Elise."

Lady Schwarzer stood up from the couch and clapped her hands together. "Right! Dinner's almost ready. Rean, be a dear and wait a little longer, okay? I'll get you some ingredients so you can take it back to your classmates."

"A-Actually…" Rean spoke tentatively. "I was hoping…maybe I could join you guys for dinner?"

His sudden proposal resulted in an awkward moment of silence in the living room.

"S-Sorry. I know it's last minute-" Rean tried to double back, but he was stopped by his father.

"Nonsense! Of course we'd be happy to have you! I'm just glad that you've taken the initiative. I'll tell Baggins to send someone else over."

"In that case, Rean, Elise? Can you two help set up the dinner table?"

"Of course, Mother!" Elise said enthusiastically. "Shall we, Rean?"

"Right behind you."

Rean set his new belongings aside before joining his sister and mother.

Though he may not know what destiny had in store for him, Rean Schwarzer knew that with the support of his friends and the warmth of a place to call home, he could overcome anything that came his way.

Author's note: Finally managed to churn this one out in less than a month, though having more concrete material to work off of may have something to do with that. Thanks again for the continued support despite taking longer between chapters. The next arc will be the final one for this story, and I'm really excited for this story to finally come to an end.

Since the last chapter became more focused on Morgan, this time I wanted to focus more on Rean, since he was the original MC of this tale and we were in his hometown. I do realize now that in trying to build up Morgan in this fic, I had been neglecting Rean a fair bit when there was room to explore how he would develop with Morgan around. Hopefully this chapter helps to rectify that.

Also, surprise! Morgan learned a new skill! Rally Spectrum, which does basically what you would expect. Rean, meanwhile, learns the last of his basic Crafts in the base game, called Flame Impact. I wanted to frame it as the two of them taking cues from each other in order to learn their new techniques.

See you all next time, whenever that may be!

It all felt like a dream. Coming face to face with a demon of her past, to being consumed by her desire to enact vengeance, to passing out and waking up in the safety of her shared room with the other girls in the Phoenix Wings.

But it hadn't been a dream. Emma made sure to remind her of that. After Morgan came to, she had used her magic to speak her frustration directly into Morgan's mind. It was fortunate that she and their other classmates were also in bed recovering from the battle; otherwise, Emma would have really let her have it for giving in to the effects of her curse. If it hadn't been for Rean's timely intervention, she would have suffered much worse injuries.

On the subject of the swordsman, that was another thing that was on Morgan's mind. He had progressed so much in such a short span of time that it almost made her jealous. Perhaps it was because he knew what it was like to give in to anger that he was able to reach out to Morgan in the midst of her unbridled wrath. And then there was what transpired while the two of them were linked. Morgan didn't just hear Rean's thoughts; she could feel his connections to his friends and his determination to help them. It was a feeling of closeness to someone that she had not experienced before, leading Morgan to believe that she and Rean must have tapped into an entirely new form of power provided by the ARCUS. She could imagine that Rean must have felt something similar, hence why they were able to use each other as the basis for their new techniques.

"Rally Spectrum…"

Those had been the first words that came to mind. It didn't make sense at the time, but the results spoke for themselves. A new skill, made possible by her connections to this world. A part of her was glad to know that she was still capable of learning new things. If only her parents could have seen her now…

"So this is where you were."

Morgan turned her head to find Rean climbing onto the roof of the Phoenix Wings. "Hey," she greeted him. "When'd you get back?"

"Just now. I'm surprised you managed to find the secret entrance leading to the roof."

"You pick up a few things about architecture after being in enough houses," Morgan said with a giggle. "You wouldn't believe how many roofs I've had to climb up to so I could catch some neighbor's cat in the capital."

"That sounds like an experience, all right." Rean walked over to where Morgan was sitting. "Mind if I sit next to you?"

"Be my guest." After Rean made himself comfortable on the roof tiles, Morgan added, "Oh yeah. I heard that you made it to the intermediate stage. Congrats."

"Thanks. I couldn't have done it without everyone in Class VII," His voice drifted off as he locked eyes with her. "Especially you."

"Glad I could've been of help."

"...And what about you? How are you feeling?"

"It all feels like a dream," Morgan admitted. "It was cathartic when I finally took down that monster, but it's weird. It's like…the more I think about it, the less I feel vindicated by it."

"But that monster…it's the same one who hurt your mother, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't like I was actively trying to get revenge or anything. My mother…what happened to her was my mistake. That was something that I was forced to accept, and so it stayed that way, consigned to my past. It's been so long since I had to think about that."

Rean grew increasingly concerned. "Do you mind if I ask…what exactly happened to your mother?"

"I don't mind," she replied. "You told me your background; it's only right for me to talk about mine."

Morgan took a deep breath and proceeded to explain. "When I was a kid, there was one time I was playing deep in the woods. The parents of my small friend group always told us to stay away from that place, but me being the adventurous little kid I was, I couldn't help but be curious. I then ran into that monster, and I probably wouldn't have made it out alive had my mother not decided to follow me. Except…she didn't make it."

Rean frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Morgan shook her head. "Technically, she was still alive. It's just that the monster gave her a concussion when she rushed in to protect me, and she wouldn't wake up. Knowing now that the monster had ice powers, I think it's more accurate to say that the attack froze her mind, putting her in a state of endless sleep. I think in Erebonian terms, she would be considered comatose.

"At the time, her condition was something entirely unprecedented. No one knew how to get her to wake up, so my father spent his spare time researching for a way to bring her back. He'd still teach me about tactics every now and then, but there was a clear rift between us. Then, one day, he said he found some clues in some ruins in another city and left on an expedition. I'd be lucky to see him more than once a year."

"Morgan…"

"Like I said, everything that happened was my fault. I've had years to come to terms with that fact. And yet…as soon as I saw that monster, I was overcome with feelings I hadn't felt in so long. It…" Morgan hugged her legs close to her chest. "It felt like I was possessed. Like I was compelled to take out all my frustrations on something. Anything. Did you ever feel that way when your power…you know?"

"Yeah…" Rean solemnly nodded his head. "I guess we've both got anger issues, huh? I think you're a lot more well adjusted than I am."

"Oh, stop…" Morgan snickered at Rean's comment.

"I'm being serious," Rean said. "When we link up, I can feel your emotions and thoughts, remember? Even though you were hurt and confused, you still chose to stand up and fight. You didn't look away from the things that caused you grief. That sort of mental fortitude is something to be respected."

Morgan felt a slight blush coming on from receiving that many compliments. "I think you're blowing it out of proportion. I'm only human, same as you."

"That may be true, but you practice what you preach. That's more than what could be said for a lot of people." He smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "So don't go thinking that you're a hypocrite just because you got angry once, you hear? Take it from someone who knows."

"Heehee. It's funny. Just last night, I was the one giving you advice. Now look at where we are now. How the turntables have turned."

"The perks of a mutual friendship, fearless tactician. You'd better get used to it."

"Touché, Rean. Touché."

The two friends shared a laugh.

"Hey, Morgan?"

"What's up?"

"Does your mark…sorry. Does the Mark hold any significance?"

"Why are you suddenly so interested in learning about my past?"

"Because I want to learn more about you, Morgan," Rean answered earnestly. "The connection we had gave me a peek into your own mind, and I realized that there's actually not a whole lot about you that I know. I know we told each other our life stories…"

"And saw each other half naked."

"…That, too." Rean sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "All I'm saying is that it can't hurt to learn a little more, you know? Since we're both here and all."

"Why, Rean!" Morgan gasped. "If I didn't know better, I would assume that you're trying to come on to me!"

"What? No! I didn't mean it like that!"

Morgan laughed. "Hahaha! I know. I'm kidding. You're a nice guy, Rean, but as it currently stands, you're not my type."

"So it's true, then?" Rean gave a teasing smirk of his own. "There's someone you've got an eye on?"

"One question at a time, Rean Schwarzer," Morgan hurriedly cut him off. "But before I explain what the Mark is, allow me to paint a picture for you. This one might take a while, so make yourself comfortable."

Rean put his hands behind his head and laid down flat onto the roof tiles. Morgan followed his lead, raising her arms up towards the night sky.

"Long ago, in a land far, far away, there once was a dragon named Naga…"

CHAPTER 6 END